Here are some suggestions about good recordings of dobro music...

Dobro-Mike Auldrige. a MUST HAVE for any dobro player. The classic brown album has been teamed with Mike's Blues and Bluegrass for a double length CD. My only complaint is that they left "Pickaway" and "Hillbilly Hula" off from the originals. That, and the fact that Mike didn't hardly make a dime off of these records. So if you buy it, get it from St. Mike himself at www.mikeauldrige.com. While you're at it, get the Green Album, the Jeff Newman thing, Old Dog, Treasures Untold, 8-String Swing, Tone Poems, and anything else you can find with Mike's dulcet tones.

King of the Dobro-Josh Graves. This is a cool thing with testimonials, tributes, etc. to the true King of the dobro. ANYTHING you can find with Josh on it is worth listening to if you want to know where it all came from in bluegrass dobro. One of my personal favorites is the Puritan re-release of the two albums Josh made with Kenny Baker. "The Puritan Sessions" is an hour of dobrolic bliss featuring Josh with Kenny Baker on fiddle, and also doing some really cool 4-finger stuff on the guitar.

Everything is Gonna Work Out Fine-Jerry Douglas. What can you say about the great Jerry Douglas that hasn't been said. He's one of the luminaries in music of any kind. Hands down one of the best musicians in the history of the world. In the future centuries, people will wish that they had been alive so as to hear him in person. He has hundreds of other recording credits, actually probably thousands, so you should have no problem finding Mr. D....

Philibuster-Phil Leadbetter. This is the first big release from "Uncle" Phil, and it's a great record. Should be able to find it on Amazon. Phil does some really nice takes on some classic rock tunes on here, too.
You'll probably also like his work with "Wildfire"--the new group that got started when all of J.D. Crowe's boys in the New South decided to play some gigs without J.D. They have a new release (2000) called "Uncontained", which has a really nice cut of Randall Hylton's "Rough Edges".

Steffi's Waltz and Stone Bottom Boogie-Junior Barber. Junior doesn't grab a lot of dobro headlines, but he is one of the true greats on the instrument. He is one of the tastiest dobro players around, softspoken and humble, carrying a 10-ton dobro...

Hard Times and Slide City-Rob Ickes. Rob has been named dobro player of the year at IBMA several times, and for good reason. He is equally at home in Bluegrass, Jazz, country, and anything else. One fantastic player, this fellow...He is also featured on all the recordings by Blue Highway. Does a lot of session work for other Bluegrassers...

All in Good Time-Sally Van Meter. Sally plays with incredible taste and tone, and this album is a real showpiece of these skills. Also check out her work on The Great Dobro Sessions. Her Great Seasons Waltz is absolutely beautiful. Sally has a new website at www.sallyvanmeter.com.

A Crack in My Armour-Randy Kohrs. I haven't personally heard this yet, but its new, and Randy is one incredible player. He can also sing in the manner of Vince Gill, et. al. I heard someone playing the dobro at IBMA last year in the Paul Beard booth...dropped my jaw...I asked him--"Who are you? You have to be famous"...it was Randy...You can hear him on Adam Steffy's recording, as well as a bunch of other stuff. You can bet he will be showing up on a lot more stuff...This guy is HOT.

Just a few suggestions...there are obviously dozens more good dobro records out there to buy. My apologies to anyone I have overlooked in this initial attempt at a page of recommended recordings.

-Tab